Movement of Salt Creek pupfish (Cyprinodon salinus salinus) living in Salt Creek, Death Valley, CA

The Salt Creek pupfish Cyprinodon salinus salinus is the only aquatic vertebrate living in and endemic to Salt Creek, located on the floor of Death Valley, CA.  Salt Creek pupfish were marked along a longitudinal gradient in Salt Creek to evaluate pupfish movement patterns.  Minnow traps and lift nets were used to capture fish in four different habitat types (listed from downstream to upstream): braided, channelized, wetland, and headwater regions.  Sampling occurred from 1 March 2010 to 18 May 2010 and consisted of three marking periods and nine recapture periods.  During marking periods, captured fish greater than 32 mm in length were marked using visual implant elastomer.  Fish were marked based on location of capture and marking period.  In total, 4,512 fish were marked and 587 fish were recaptured.  No movement was detected into or out of the headwater region.  However, movement between the braided and channelized regions was fairly high; specifically 26% of recaptures from the channelized region were captured in the braided region, and 21% of fish from the braided region were captured in the channelized region.   Results provide insight as to movement patterns of a little-studied, small-bodied fish inhabiting a desert stream.